1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a fuse box containing high-power fuse circuitry such that the fuse box enclosure remains intact when the fuse blows. In particular, the present invention relates to a high impact-resistant fuse box.
2. Related Art
Railed vehicles, such as trains, travel along railed tracks and receive electrical power from a third rail that parallels the tracks. The electrical power is ordinarily of the order of a megawatt with currents typically at 1000 amperes and voltages typically at 600 volts. In order to protect the train from an electrical overload, a fuse box is typically mounted on an exterior wall of the locomotive with an input cable electrically coupled to the third rail and an output cable electrically coupled to the engine. The fuse box contains a fuse circuit designed to blow a fuse at a predetermined input current. The fuse is typically 8 inches long and 3 inches in diameter and contains a gas. When the fuse blows, the gas explodes at high temperature and high energy, causing fragments of the fuse material to strike the walls of the fuse box enclosure with great force. Current fuse boxes made of a fiberglass material are not reliably able to withstand the force of such an explosion, resulting in damages that are expensive to repair.
Thus, there is a need for a high impact-resistant fuse box coupled to a railed vehicle, wherein the fuse box is able to remain intact when the fuse blows. Additionally, a need exists for a high impact-resistant fuse box for use with other vehicles and also for static structures.